The Roman poet Horace, who lived just before the time of Christ, praised his father for teaching him to avoid great vices, like adultery and squandering family money. "Thanks to this training I am free from vices which bring disaster, though subject to lesser frailties such as you would excuse. Perhaps even from these much will be withdrawn by time's advance" (Satire I, iv, 129-132).
Have the years softened your lesser faults? Maybe you're a better listener than you used to be. Maybe you're more patient with young people. Maybe you plan better, not waiting to the last minute to get something done. Maybe you treat your body with more care than in your college days. Maybe you think about improving your faults and less about finding the faults in others.
Horace said that aging, "time's advance" can take away such faults. We Christians know that "time's advance" is moving each of us toward God's judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). That lays more on us than simply being content that we're forgiven by Jesus Christ. There's also the desire to improve ourselves before God. "We will in all things grow up into Him who is the head, that is, Christ" (Ephesians 4:15).
Then again, some people won't improve themselves. "We never did it that way before."
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